Navigating a virtual keyboard with a D-pad isn't that bad. Navigating a virtual keyboard with a D-pad on a screen with the Kobo's refresh rate, on the other hand...

I think it depends on how it is done. If we are talking literally moving from one key to next with each key requiring a key press, then yes, it could get painful. That being said, I have seen arrangements that were designed to minimize the key presses. I think Pocketbooks has a system like that for its non-touchpad readers.

Lets say you divide the alphabet up into three roughly equal blocks of letters. Then the first step of selecting a letter is to go choose which block... and then select the letter. You might even find a better arrangement if you broke the letters up into groups of 8 or 9 (it would take up to two clicks to select a block, but then probably only one click to select the letter in the block a lot better than the 8 or more it would take just using a qwerty layout.).

I find anything but a full-sized keyboard to be a pain. My favorite keyboard is the slightly wavy design from Microsoft; it really makes a comfort difference and I'm faster and more accurate with it.

I've seen people text madly with their phone pads but I haven't developed the knack. For me, every portable device's keypad is a painful compromise, but I guess it's a matter of degree. Some are marginally less awful than others.

/sarcasm on
I will definitely upgrade to the new version since the promo pages at Chapters indicate that I'll be able to get "newspapers" and "magazines"! That's what I bought my original Kobo for, so it's good to see that it's finally being implemented on the WiFi model.
/sarcasm off

On the other hand, I would probably have never learned of the excellent Calibre program if I had been able to subscribe to newspapers directly with my Kobo. After a slight learning curve, now I pretty much get all the periodical content I need, and for free.

/sarcasm on
I will definitely upgrade to the new version since the promo pages at Chapters indicate that I'll be able to get "newspapers" and "magazines"! That's what I bought my original Kobo for, so it's good to see that it's finally being implemented on the WiFi model.
/sarcasm off

Posted by a Kobo Customer Care Rep on their Facebook page:Also, newspapers and magazines will be coming very soon for both the new Kobo WiFi as well as the Kobo eReader!

/sarcasm on
I will definitely upgrade to the new version since the promo pages at Chapters indicate that I'll be able to get "newspapers" and "magazines"! That's what I bought my original Kobo for, so it's good to see that it's finally being implemented on the WiFi model.
/sarcasm off

On the other hand, I would probably have never learned of the excellent Calibre program if I had been able to subscribe to newspapers directly with my Kobo. After a slight learning curve, now I pretty much get all the periodical content I need, and for free.

This is true. Although the Calibre version of the paper is horrible. Not formatted correctly at all.

I cannot see them making inroads at $249 dollars (if it is priced similarly to the Cooler reader).

I wish they'd shoot for a sub 100 dollar 6 inch reader. The initial Kobo hype was what finally hooked me into getting a reader, and my ideal is still a 99 dollar version of the first reader that works a little better.

Same here...I wish they'd sell a 6' one at sub-100 dollar pricing. I just bought the Sony PRS-100 last month and now they have the latest one out.

Same here...I wish they'd sell a 6' one at sub-100 dollar pricing. I just bought the Sony PRS-100 last month and now they have the latest one out.

Next time you upgrade your reader, I wouldn't do it in the latter half of the year when most vendors are announcing their new products just in time for the Christmas season.

Look on the bright side, the new readers are a pretty big step up in price -- at least if you got the reader from one of the places that was selling them cheap. The PRS-300 can still be had for just a touch over a $100 at Borders. It makes it a great deal as long as one doesn't mind their epubs unjustified .

However I dislike new device just months after I got mine, it is not that bad move for manufacturer. For wifi, it is the most simple way to upgrade without user interference. Also, it seems to be easier to buy a book via internet. Exclude PC and you find no trouble. The question is do I want manufacturer to make decisions for me? My answer is "no", but it might differ for others on the forum.

Kobo wifi certainly lands rather quickly after Kobo original. But early Kobo buyers didn't "lose" anything -- it's a fine, very basic reader which -- at the time -- saved them $100 or more. That was real savings then.

I'm delighted that Kobo was able to bring out an enhanced unit after there was a sea-change in the industry -- Kindle and Nook dropping from $259 to $189 to $139. Kobo managed to drive lots more value into their device at the same price.

Kobo has also continued to enhance its kobobooks bookstore and drastically broaden the Kobo platform across Blackberry, iPhone, Android phone and tablets on each platform. The under lying software has morphed to support syncing across multiple devices. And, the orignal Kobo is less than four months old in the US market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Well, since this board is big on cracking DRM; why not buy a K3 for the better hardware, buy books from any store, then crack the DRM so they can be read on a K3?

I disagree with this. Mobileread is not about hacking. More to the point, the average consumer is just not bothering with DRM hacks. So the Kobo needs to be evaluated as it is, out of the box.

And that's where the Kobo shines: simple interface, affordable price, access to library books, access to DRM ePub books from Kobo, Sony and elsewhere, and a genuine multi-platform commitment on Blakberry, iPhone, Android, phones and tablets, PCs and Macs. And now: wifi delivery of content right to the device. It's a decent bundle, all things considered, for US$139.

Kobo wifi certainly lands rather quickly after Kobo original. But early Kobo buyers didn't "lose" anything -- it's a fine, very basic reader which -- at the time -- saved them $100 or more. That was real savings then.

I may be wrong, but my impression was that screen and battery were
of the older generation, for price cut. I have no problem with that,
since I got cheap, one purpose device.

A couple of points. As far as the keyboard goes, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I use my kobo to read books and have actually never found myself needing a keyboard, or dictionary for that matter. I am perfectly fine with browsing for and downloading book on my computer and then transferring them to my reader. Wifi would be nice so I could transfer wirelessly but not a deal breaker for me. I usually have 4 or 5 unread books on my reader at any given time so I'm never stuck without a book if I'm not connected.

The only real "upgrades" I would really like to see are faster page turns and jump-to-page. I don't know about everyone else but I use my kobo to read books. Everything else is just fluff.

As for kobo vs kindle. I had a problem with my kobo. I took it to chapters and was provided a new one on the spot. Try that with your kindle. That alone has won my respect for kobo.

As for the cry "why would kobo introduce a new product without perfecting the first one." Give your head a shake. Kobo cannot sit idle in such a fast growing market. Nursing their first reader along while others introduce new price points and new products would kill them. When you buy an introductory product from a new company you have to expect some growing pains. Kobo has been amazingly responsive and supportive in my opinion.

I doubt I will be purchasing the new kobo as I don't need keyboard, touchscreen, wifi or more shades of gray to read a book. When this one dies I'll take another look